New Bohemians
by xWiCkEdxGhOsTx
Summary: Years after Rent, the bohemian's children struggle with life, death, love, hate, disease, and paying the rent.
1. A New Generation of Bohemians

A/N: I had the idea to write this awhile ago and I already wrote the first 3 1/2 chapters, Now I just have to type it. Read and Review!

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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mimi asked, hugely pregnant.

"Of course, with the baby coming in less then a month, we need to get somewhere with a little breathing room." Roger said as he piled bags into a bus that read Santa Fe across the top. All the Bohemians were standing on the sidewalk in front of the loft. Maureen and Joanne were holding hands next to Angel and Collins who were holding a toddler in their arms. Mark was holding his camera, narrating the scene.

"September 30, 1992. 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Roger and Mimi are loading up the bus that will take them to their new home, and new life, in Santa Fe," he moved the camera to the rest of his friends, "Collins and Angel's newly adopted son, Carter, is the newest Bohemian and the youngest at 2-years-old."

"Mark, how many times do I have to tell you, Carter is 1 ½, don't rush things." Angel cuddled her son fondly.

Maureen watched and turned to pout at Joanne, "Pookie, I want to have kids too."

"We'll adopt someday." She smiled.

Roger closed the storage door on the bus and walked up to Mark, "Are you meeting Becky today?"

Mark put down his camera and smiled, "Yep."

Becky was Mark's new girlfriend. They met at Buzz Line before Mark quit, and they have been going out since. Everyone thought they were adorable together and the two lovebirds found out 6 months before that Becky was pregnant.

"Tell her I say goodbye, would you? She's nice; don't do anything to screw up your relationship." Roger punched his former roommates shoulder.

"Roger," Mimi pouted, "why do we have to leave? I like it here with all our friends."

"Angel and Collins moved across town and Maureen and Joanne are going to California next month, it'll only be Mark here. Avenue B is no place to raise a child. Besides, it's not like we'll be gone forever. We'll come back one day when the baby gets older, I promise."

When everyone was done saying goodbye, Roger and Mimi got on their bus. As it pulled away from the curb, Mark, Maureen, Joanne, Collins, Angel and Carter waved goodbye.

Just as the bus was rounding the corner off of Avenue B, a very worn out Benny ran up to everyone.

"Where are they? Am I late? Did I miss them?" he said between breaths.

"Yea, you did. But they send their love and promise to call as soon as the baby is born." Joanne informed the eighth bohemian.

After they stood in silence on the street corner for awhile, Collins broke the calm.

"I need a beer," he informed his friends as he put carter down and walked up to the door of the loft. Everyone agreed and followed, except Mark. He stood in silence on the street corner and stared at the spot he had last seen his friend's face. He was still in awe that his best friend and roommate since forever, had moved. The family was breaking apart.

"They'll be back," he said as he turned to go into the loft, "someday."


	2. Through the film lens of Brooke

A/N: This is really short but I'm posting more very soon. I haven't checked my stats yet, but if people had this story on alerts, I am REALLY sorry! It took way to long. I'll try and post more frequently.

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"Brooke!" her father's voice rang in her ears, "Time for school! Don't be late again."

Brooklyn Sadie-Brown Cohen rolled over and groaned. Her long, blonde hair covering her eyes, "What do you mean 'again'? It's the first day!"

Her father, Mark, leaned on the doorway and crossed his arms, "What about yesterday when you were late to band practice?"

"Dad, I play the tuba in the Church band. I hate it," Brooke replied as she flopped down in a mess of pillows, stuffed animals, sheets, and blankets.

"What will it take to get you out of bed?" Mark sighed.

"Dunno," Brooke snored.

"How about I let you take my camera to school?" he suggested.

Brooke shot up and smiled at her father, "Yes!"

"Well, then you better get ready quick." Mark walked out of her doorway as Brooke scrambled out of her bed and around her room to get ready.

"September. 12, 2005 8am Eastern Standard Time. I'm here with my best friend, Crystal Coffin and we are now walking into the pathetic dump we call Junior High, where we'll spend more then half of our lives learning about things we'll never need in our future careers as burger-flippers at McDonalds."

"Wendy's if we're lucky," Crystal laughed into the camera.

"True," Brooke answered, "So, Crystal, where are we going?"

"We are going to room…B7," she said as she looked down at her schedule.

"Great," Brooke said, scanning the hallway with her father's camera, "I love having the same homeroom."

"Me too," Crystal said, "What are we doing after school?"

"I can't do anything," Brooke put the camera down, "My dad's old friends and their kids are coming from Santa Fe today."

"Oh yea," Crystal sounded disappointed.

"But we can hang out after that," Brooke suggested, "You can come for dinner."

"Okay," Crystal smiled as the bell rang and the two girls ran to their class.


	3. Melony's Song

A/N: As I was typing this, I thought it was pretty long. Well, it was much longer on paper. It's not that short though! I just like how all the characters are starting to get connected now. Much deeper connections in the next chapter! ; ) Please review!!

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Melony Becca Marquez Davis looked at her new junior high with wide eyes. She clutched the backpack around her shoulder tightly. She just recently moved from Santa Fe to the big city. Her father and mother said that they were going to meet some special friends of theirs after school. They didn't even say who they were meeting! Melony had had that extra baggage to worry about all day. Would they be meeting someone her age? Would it be a guy? More importantly, would it be a **_hot_** guy? 

She was knocked out of her thoughts as the first bell rang.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed as she ran into the building. It was only as she was running down the crowded halls, did she realize that she had no idea where she was going. She stopped long enough to pull a schedule out of her bag. At the top it read, "Homeroom: B7".

- - -

When she entered the room, it was already full of people. Boys were throwing paper airplanes and shooting spit balls at the chalkboard, while the girls were talking and giggling in groups in the back and corners. In the far corner, by the window, there were two girls that stuck out. One was sitting in the corner desk. She had long blonde hair and was filming the other girl with and old 1980's style camera. The other girl was sitting on top of the desk and had short black hair. She was talking into the camera while the blonde girl asked her questions.

Melony decided to take a seat close to them. From her spot, she could hear over the immature boys and find out why the one girl was filming.

"So, Crystal, do we know who our homeroom teacher is or are we on our own like we were last year?" the blonde girl narrated.

The other girl looked at her schedule, "It says here that the teacher's name is Mr. Collins."

Just then, a tall black man with wide shoulders and a long leather coat burst into the room.

"Sorry everyone," he said as he threw his briefcase near his desk, "The subway was a mess."

Melony watched as Mr. Collins threw his stuff about; a scarf here, gloves there, a hat dangling off the globe… there was only one thing he was careful with, and that was his coat. He walked over to his desk and carefully laid the dirty, disheveled coat on the back of his chair.

"So anyway, hello everyone," Mr. Collins went on, "I'm Mr. Collins, but you can just call me Collins. It's my first day working here, but I taught at MIT and NYU before that. I will be your homeroom and English teacher this year."

Melony listened closely and looked like she was paying attention, but she was really straining on where she had seen him before. He looked so familiar.

"Does he look familiar to you?" Melony heard the blonde girl whisper to her friend.

"Yea," the other girl said, "but I can't place why."

Little did the three girls know, but they would soon be forever linked in the second generation of East Village Bohemians.


	4. Carter's Story

A/N: Okay, now I finally wrote a longish chapter! I want to give an account of every character before they all came together. If you really pay attention, you'll see that Carter has a connection to a character that will be strengthened in a later chapter ; ) (P.S. yes, I do like saying the charachers full name a lot.)

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The second bell rang and Carter Anthony Dumott-Schunard Collins sprinted down the length of the C-wing in his high school. Running blindly through an empting hallway was probably not such a good idea, but he had no choice if he was going to make a good impression on the first day.

FLASHBACK

_"Honey," Angel called from the kitchen, "You need to eat breakfast. You want strength for the day, don't you?"_

_Carter was spiking his jet black hair in the bathroom mirror when his dad came up behind him._

_"How you doin', Squirt?" he asked as he reached for his toothbrush. _

_"Fine," he replied as he finished spiking his hair, "Are you ready for the little 8th graders?"_

_"Haha, very funny. I'm sure they're very nice," Collins said with a mouthful of toothpaste suds. _

_Carter looked at his dad and laughed, "That's attractive," he replied sarcastically. _

_"You know it." Collins said and spit._

_- - -_

_Sprinting to the subway on the crowded streets of New York City sucks enough, but it **really** on an empty stomach. Carter silently cursed at himself for not doing as his mother told him. _

_"Hurry up, Squirt!" Collins called to his son as they reached the subway stop._

_As they were about to board the subway, a massive fight broke out behind them. A soft pretzel vendor and a hot dog vendor were yelling at each other in Spanish. Suddenly, the pretzel vendor drew a machete from his shoe._

_"Dad!" Carter yelped as the swinging machete whizzed past nose._

_Collins grabbed Carter's shirt collar and pulled him into the subway._

_"You alright?" he asked in a distressed concern. He checked his son up and down and inspected every inch of his face, "He didn't get you, did he?"_

_"No, dad, I'm fine."_

_"Good," Collins was visibly relieved._

_The subway train started and the car rocked rhythmatically._

_Collins started to hum a tune that Carter had heard multiple times before. It was a dream song about Collins and his friends moving to Santa Fe. _

_When the subway stopped and the two reached the front the high school, they stood still._

_"Good luck, dad," Carter hugged his father goodbye. _

_"You too, Squirt," he would have ruffled his son's hair in affection if he knew he wouldn't be yelled at for ruining a half hours work spiking, "Don't forget to meet me at the subway stop after school. We're going to meet some old friends for dinner." _

_"Okay," Carter said and just as he did, the second bell, signifying the start of class, rang. _

_Father and son looked at each other with wide eyes. _

_"Oh shit!" they said at once and ran for it_

END FLASHBACK

As Carter skidded to a halt in front of C22, he slid into his seat just as the teacher called his name for attendance.

"Mr. Collin," his homeroom teacher growled, "I expect you to be here before the second bell rings. Since it's the first day, I'll let you off with a warning, but next time, it's a detention. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Carter mumbled.

The rest of the day went well, he had Spanish first and since his mother had taught him a lot of words, he was sure to be moved to the honors class in a matter of months. Second he had English and his father was the 8th grade English teacher and one of the smartest people Carter had ever known, he was already in the honors class, but he hoped to make his dad proud by getting into English II Honors. His parents would be so pleased with him if he got into collage.

It looked like the day was improving since this morning, that is, until lunch came around…


	5. Ian's performance

A/N: It's kinda short but I just need to introduce all the characters before I can start the 'story' part. Theis is the last character (finally!) and the next chapter will (hopefully) be longer. (Don't count on it though)

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"Maureen! Ian! Wake up, you two!" Joanne yelled down the hallway to her son and lover.

"But it's so early," Ian complained, "I only went to sleep like… an hour ago."

"Well, maybe that will teach you to say up all night singing," Joanne said as she walked into Ian's room and pulled the covers off his pale body.

"Maureen, tell your son to wake up," Joanne called to her lover as she gave up on Ian.

"What?" Maureen said in a sleepy voice. She stumbled into the hallway in baggy sweatpants and a loose t-shirt.

"What kind of example are you showing?" Joanne asked while making breakfast.

"What do you mean? Ian's a good kid," Maureen mumbled and snored as she fell asleep on the kitchen counter.

Joanne sighed and went back to attempting to wake her wayward son.

- - -

"Now, Ian, remember to meet me out front as soon as the bell rings. We're meeting some old friends for dinner." Joanne lectured her son as she drove him to school.

"Yea, yea, how good is this school's drama club?" Ian asked.

"I don't know, I guess you'll find out when you get there." Joanne said. She was amazed at how much Ian was like Maureen. Since they had adopted him 13 years ago, he always had such an interest in drama and was constantly requesting that his mothers listen to a monologue or a song he wrote. No matter how hard Joanne tried, Ian never did pick up on the important things like school and homework.

The car pulled up in front of Ian's new Junior/ Senior High School and before it even stopped completely, Ian jumped out.

"Don't forget, Ian! Right here after school!" Joanne yelled out the window and Ian held up a peace sign, showing that he had heard her, as he ran into the building.

"Okay…homeroom, B9," Ian said as he looked at his crumpled and water stained schedule.

He walked down the hall to his homeroom as the teacher was about to call attendance.

"Sit down, Mr. Johnson," she said sharply.

"It's 'Johnson-Jefferson'." He replied, just as sharply.

"Bickering with teachers will get you no where but detention, Mr. Johnson-Jefferson," she snapped, "Now take your seat."

Ian stood for a moment. He wanted to say something more; that's what his rebellious mother, Maureen, would do. She never let anyone tell her what to do.

Deciding it wasn't worth it and guessing his mother would too, he sat down.

As the teacher went on calling names, a small boy next to Ian leaned in and whispered, "Hey, kid, why do you have two last names?"

"Because I have two parents," Ian growled.

"But, so do I," the boy said, "and I only have one last name."

"Boys!" the teacher shouted, "Do not talk while I am taking attendance!"

Ian ignored her. She didn't know why he was talking, so why should she get to decide if he could talk or not? He hated people asking about his family or the reason for his double last name. He hated explaining to people that he had two mothers. He hated the way people laughed and stared whenever someone found out. He came to New York to start fresh. No one knew him or his heritage here. In California, he was constantly being bullied. Whether it was for his lack of a father figure or for his love of the theatre, there was never a shortage of snickers or glares in his direction. He just wanted to make friends and get through high school unharmed.

But it looked as though that would never happen, once lunch rolled around…

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A/N: OoOoOoO! I smell a character connection! Read and Review!!

Elphie


	6. School Sucks

A/N: yea, so this ones a long one. In this chapter, there are some unkid words about gays, but believe me, its all for the point I'm trying to get across in the story! No offense! I love gay people! I have a bunch of gay, bi, and lesbien friends so it's not to be mean. (if there are any gays, lesbiens, bis, or transvestites out there reading this, I want to be your friend! Message me!) Read and Review!

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"I'm serious," Crystal said to Brooke as they walked to lunch, "That Mr. Collins looks so familiar."

"I know," Brooke said. She was busy rewinding the tape on her father's camera, so she wasn't really listening.

Crystal was going on and on about where she might have seen Mr. Collins before. Brooke could tell he was familiar, but she knew she would find out if she waited and let the answer come to her.

Holding the camera to her eye when the two girls sat down at a free table, Brooke adjusted the lens. She scanned the crowd while Crystal blabbed on and on. While she moved the camera back and forth, she caught sight of brown spiked hair and a pair of adorable baby blue eyes. She zoomed in and saw that he was sitting with a girl in their grade named Melony. Brooke sighed and put the camera back down. She knew disappointment before. She had had crushes that ended up going out with Crystal before and she had never said anything. For the most part, Brooke was an outspoken and talkative young girl, but when it came to crushes and boys, she was at a loss for words.

"Brooke," Crystal shook her friend's shoulder, "Brooke! Are you listening to me?"

"Yea," Brooke said as she tore her eyes off the new boy. But she was too late, Crystal had seen.

"Uh-oh," Crystal smiled evilly, "You like that boy from science class."

"No I don't," Brooke argued.

"Yea, you do," Crystal said, "go talk to him."

"No!" Brooke protested.

"Fine," Crystal got up and walked toward his table, "Then I'll talk to him for you."

- - -

"So where did you come from?" Melony asked her new lunch mate. They were the last two people to enter the cafeteria, so they were forced to the last free table. The boy's name was Ian, from Melony's history and writing classes.

"California," he replied as he picked at his PB and J, "you?"

"Close to there actually," Melony said while eating a bag of chips, "Santa Fe, New Mexico."

"Never been there," Ian said, "My parents always said they wanted to go there, though."

"Why didn't you?" Melony hoped she didn't sound like she was prying.

"Dunno." Ian answered.

The dark skinned girl from Melony's homeroom walked up to their table.

"Do you guys want to sit with us?" she asked and gestured halfway across the room to where the blonde girl with the camera was sitting.

Ian and Melony exchanged glances, shrugged, and grabbed their lunches to move.

- - -

When they walked up, the blonde girl smiled and moved down to allow the two new comers a place to sit.

"Well," the dark skinned girl began, "I'm Crystal Coffin and that's Brooklyn Cohen."

"Brooke," she said quietly.

"I'm Melony Davis."

"Ian Johnson-Jefferson."

"Have I met you before?" Melony asked Brooke, "your name sounds familiar…"

"Yours too," Brooke wondered.

"I think I've heard all your names somewhere," Ian mentioned.

"Maybe it was just from attendance," Crystal suggested.

All the others seemed satisfied with her guess but were silent the rest of the period.

- - -

Carter's had lunch period 4; right after math, his least favorite subject. As he walked out of class, he heard something crinkling behind him. He reached on his back and pulled a piece of paper off that said "fag" in big bold letters.

Carter sighed and threw the paper in the recycling. He was used to the names by now. Everywhere he went, he was tormented for his parents, especially his mother. People didn't understand that people of the same sex could love each other just as much as a 'normal' couple could. To Carter, his family was normal. He longed to talk to his father, but he was most likely teaching or out to lunch so he decided not to bother him now.

When he got into the cafeteria, there was only one free table. Apparently the one that everyone put their garbage on. After he cleared a small spot where he could sit down, he opened his lunch and tried to eat in peace.

Only a few minutes later, a shadow cast over Carter so he looked up. A large boy in baggy clothes and an angry face was towering over him.

"What are you looking at?" the boy asked.

"Nothing," Carter replied calmly, "you came over here."

"So that gives you permission to look at me?" the growl came from deep in the boy's throat. Carter could tell he was looking for a fight.

"No, I would just assume that if you came up to me, you wanted something." Carter saw the boy's fists clench and unclench.

"No, you were probably looking at me cause you're a fag like your father."

Carter got up from his seat and snarled in the boy's face, "what did you say?"

"I said you were a fag." Carter and the boy were and inch away and neither one wanted to go down first. Carter's opponent was at least a head taller then him, but Carter had brains on his side.

Carter was about to make the first strike when a small brown haired and blue eyed 8th grader got between them.

"Save it for after school, guys," he begged, "do you want the principal down here on the first day?"

The large boy just laughed, "so you call on your little gay friend to come and help you?"

The 8th grader, who had come to stop the fight, was now up in the other boy's face.

"What did you call me?" he snarled.

"Wow, are you gays hard of hearing? I said you were a faggot." The large boy laughed and his comrades joined him.

Much to Carter's, and everyone else's, surprise, the small 8th grader launched himself at the much older high schooler.

Carter helped to get the boy down, but was almost instantly pulled off by someone else. He felt a fist collide with his jaw and he spun around. Blindly throwing his fists, Carter could only hope that they would hit something.

He could just barely see the 8th grader getting pulled off a high schooler by a teacher.

_Oh shit_, he said to himself. By now, he could tell his lip was busted and he couldn't see out of his left eye.

When a teacher finally pulled him and his opponent apart, mostly everyone fighting had gotten taken down to the nurses or the office.

"You, boy," the teacher said angrily, "are in a ton of trouble."

- - -

After school, Carter went down to the principal's office. He had detention for a month. He didn't care about that; he was just worried that his day was going to be disappointed in him.

When he entered the room, he saw the 8th grader sitting there, swinging his legs back and forth and staring down at the ground.

"Hey," Carter said quietly as he sat down next to him. The boy looked up and he had a black eye and two long scratches down his cheek, but Carter could see the fire still burning behind his eyes.

"Hey," he said back, "I'm Ian."

"I'm Carter," they shook hands and the principal walked in.

"Okay boys," he started, "it's the first day and you each have a month of detention. This is a great way to start the year."

He walked out and the two boys sat in silence for the remainder of time.

- - -

It was three thirty and Carter shot out of school as quickly as possible. The principal said that he didn't feel like staying any longer and let Ian, himself, and the other delinquents out early.

Carter almost made it to the bus when he was violently pulled back.

"We never did finish our little conversation," the boy from lunch growled in his ear.

No matter how hard he tried, Carter was pulled into the back of the school and beaten until he blacked out.


	7. You okay, Honey?

A/N: chapter title sound familiar? It should ; ) anyway, this song is from The Wedding Singer and its called "Come out of the Dumpster". Its really good, so try and listen to it, if possible. I think maybe next chapter everyone will meet but I haven't decided yet. Read and Review as always!

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Melony got out of school later then she planed and she knew her father wasn't going to be happy with her. He had said before she left, "get home before 4 o'clock, we're meeting some friends for dinner. Don't be late!"

She went out the back and was hurrying up the path when she heard a groaning from behind her. She stopped and listened closely.

The sound was coming from the dumpster. She went over and heard a groan again. She looked in and saw the boy that had started the fight in lunch.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Melony asked the boy, putting down her stuff to help him.

"I'm okay," he smiled weakly at her, "I saw you at lunch."

Melony blushed. The way he was looking at her and the way her stomach flipped when he spoke was making her uncomfortable. She had to admit, he was adorable sitting there next to an old pair of shoes and a questionable looking sandwich.

"I saw you too." She finally replied.

The boy sat there for awhile in silence. Melony wondered how long he had been there. There was no doubt about why he was in there. The boy he was fighting with at lunch obviously came back to finish the job.

"Why don't you come out of there so I can take care of that cut on your forehead?" Melony suggested.

"No, I'm fine," the boy said, "so, what's your name?"

"I'm Melony Davis."

"Nice to meet you, Melony, I'm Carter Dumott-Schunard Collins."

They shook hands and Melony could see the extent of Carter's injuries. There were cuts all down his hands and a large black and blue on his left shoulder. Scratches ran down his face with the worst one running from his right temple all the way down to his left cheekbone. There were various other black and blues, cuts, scratches all covering his body.

"We really need to get you cleaned up," Melony said concerned.

Carter looked into Melony's eyes and thought for a moment, "Why do you care?" he said finally, "You hardly know me, and you want to help me?"

"Well, yea," Melony said in surprised, "You stood up for yourself today and for Ian. You didn't know him, but you helped him anyway."

"I didn't do anything," Carter looked away in shame, "I mean, look at me!"

"So today you made some mistakes," Melony sang, "I'll admit, you hit a few bumps, but I hate to see you like this, down on your luck, down in the…dumps."

Carter still didn't look at her, but she went on singing.

"Though hope may seem in short supply, you have to move on, you have to try."

Melony paused to allow Carter to speak, but when he didn't, she went on.  
"So come out of the dumpster. Don't leave me standing here, come out of the dumpster.  
Its ok; the coast is clear. The cop cars are leaving. Channel 5 packed up its crew, so come out of the dumpster; I'll be right here waiting for you."

Carter finally spoke, "Ok. I'll try."

"All right!" Melony said, and got out of the way.

Carter grunted and groaned and was almost to the side, when he fell back in.

Melony ran back and peered over the edge. Carter looked beaten (figuratively), and tired. She felt so bad for him. She needed to help get him back to her apartment for treatment and then give him something to eat. Maybe after seeing him, her parents will allow him to come to dinner with them.

"So you're back in the dumpster," she went on singing, "Well, that's like a metaphor. Everyone has a dumpster; a stumbling block you can't ignore. But to fight it makes you stronger, and next time you might stand! So come out of that dumpster, here, take a hold of my hand."

Melony gave Carter her hand, and he took it. She pulled him to the edge and he rested a bit.

"So your first day back wasn't all you anticipated," Melony said to him.

"I bit the random man, some guy had to be sedated," Carter said in a sad voice.  
"Well, this sort of thing happens all the time; when life gives you garbage, you it to climb!" Melony helped to drag Carter all the way out of the dumpster and after picking off pieces of garbage, she sat him down on a pile of boxes next to the dumpster.  
"Look!" she said with triumph, "You're out of the dumpster. Now, was that so hard after all? It was only a dumpster!"

"And from here, it looks so small," Carter said and Melony laughed.  
"Now you're back where you started, on you're way to success. So...will you please come to dinner?" Melony asked. Carter just looked at her and smiled; lost in her eyes. He finally looked away.

"No!" he sang.

"Well, why not?" Melony asked as she followed him away from the school. He walked amazingly fast for a person who just got beaten up; she had to trot along side him to keep up.

"Cause I'm supposed to meet my dad at the subway stop. Well, I was." He replied looking straight forward.

"Wait! You said your name was Collins, right?" Melony asked.

"Yea. Why?" Carter said.

"Is your dad the 8th grade English teacher?" Brooke and Crystal would be so excited to find out even more about their mysterious teacher.

"Yep, that's him. Your one of his students?" Carter finally looked at Melony. His gray yes dug into her deep brown ones.

"Yea." She said in a daze.

"Well, I have to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow." He said as he boarded the subway.

Melony watched him go and didn't move till the subway car was out of sight. When she finally budged, she ran out and down a couple blocks to her apartment.


	8. Voicemail 1

A/N: It's kinda short, but it's just a filler chapter. There's a little more about Ian here. Sorry it took so long, but I lost the notes on what was gonna happen in this chapter. Read and Review as always!

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Ian sat in his room while he heard his mothers arguing in the kitchen. They were late to dinner because Maureen just HAD to wear the right thing. And, as usual, Joanne was pissed at her lover.

Ian heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in," he replied as he laid on his bed and threw a tennis ball at his ceiling.

His little sister, Amber, cracked the door open and slid in the room. She quietly walked up to her brother with tears in her big brown eyes.

"Why are mommy and Mo fighting?" she whispered.

Ian stopped throwing the tennis ball and picked up his little sister and cuddled her.

"It's okay. Mommy's just mad at Mo for now. She'll get over it like she always does." Ian said happily.

"Why does Mo always make mommy mad?" Amber said as Ian wiped away her tears with his sleeve.

"It's not Mo's fault," Ian defended his favorite mother, "Mommy just doesn't understand."

Ian and Amber had always had different views on their mothers. Amber had always been closer to Joanne. They even had the same personalities. For a little girl of six, Amber was more grown up then most kids twice her age.

On the other hand, Ian had always been a little bit of a rebel slacker. He was much more like Maureen then anyone he ever knew. He just looked up to her so much. She was so dedicated and lived everyday to its fullest; she never dwelled on anything bad and stood up for what she believed in. That's what Ian wanted.

Ian's bedroom door opened again and Joanne came in.

"Are you two ready to go?" she asked.

"Yes!" Amber ran to her mother.

"I've been ready." Ian replied.

"Well then come on." Joanne said, walking out of the room holding Amber.

Ian was walking out of the door when the phone rang. He was going to get it when Maureen shot down the stairs and out the door.

"No time, let's go!" she said as she ran past.

Ian laughed and ran after her.

"I'll beat you to the bus stop!" she challenged.

"No you won't!" Ian laughed.

"Loser buys dinner!" Both said at the same time and sprinted down the street with Joanne and Amber walking behind them.

_Inside the apartment…_

Ring! Ring! Ring!

_Maureen's voice_: "Hello, you've reached Maureen, Joanne, Ian, and Amber Johnson- Jefferson. We screen our calls, so don't bother calling again. And if you're one of those telemarketers; I know where you live…"

_Joanne's voice_: "Maureen!"

_Maureen's voice_: "Leave a message!"

BEEEEEEEP!

"Umm, hi Ian. It's Brooke Cohen. You know, from lunch today? Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tonight. We're going to the Life Café. "We" being my dad and a bunch of his friends. But Crystal'll be there to. I think. Umm, ok. I guess I'll see you later, or tomorrow at school or something. Bye."


End file.
